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Great Museum

A Memory of St Helens.

There used to be a museum in the park with a huge stuffed tiger, the first time I ever saw it I nearly jumped out of my skin with fright. What a great park before they removed the boundary wall. I used to go stickleback fishing with a worm on a piece of thread and catching newts, great days as a kid living in St Helens. I'm now nearly 60 this year and have lived in London since running away from home at 15...where did the time go? I can remember it as if it was yesterday, even lying down to watch the fish.... count everyday there are not many!

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Added 26 February 2013

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Comments & Feedback

Are you the John Hayes from Hard Lane ????

By hardlaner1 on Tue Aug 19th 2014, at 9:20 pm

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Hello there, I lived on Hard Lane for a short while and my Grandparents lived at 22 Greenfield Road. Oh, I remember Stickleback fishing- climbing over the fences and skeeting down the sides of the place, I noticed that there's some high fencing there now- were we that foolhardy??? I too remember the museum and I think it instilled in me a love of history- The tiger terrified me and there was a stuffed cobra too which fascinated me and frightened me in equal measure. Memories of my dear Dad taking me for walks- the crematorium- my Cousin used to frighten me and say 'They burn people there you know our Kafryn' - I can hear him now. I went to Windleshaw school, I think thats what it was called and wetting my pants in a maths test- the teacher was so kind but I discovered that wee doesnt rub into lino tiles and remains a puddle for all to see. The bluebells were pretty by the school and to this day I love them. I have memories of Oxleys and seeing Father Christmas- My first time I was terrified and I kicked him hard on the shin- to which my Cousin said 'its all right Kafryn he's only an old bloke wiv a stick on beard. ' Christmas was a magical time then- I loved the displays at Oxleys and was thrilled to get some felt pens and a stencil set for Christmas- and a soap shaped like a rose bud.
Sadly we didnt stay long as my mums health wasnt great but my best friends were the 'Messages' who lived in a big house on the main road, there was Maxine and she had a brother and sister and her miums name was Hildegard- her Dad was a headmaster at the local Special School I think.
My other memories were of the slide inn the park which was huge to us- watching the cricket with my Grandma at Pilkingtons and drinking very fizzy lemonade- being frightened of doing something wrong so the parkeeper would come and shout at us- thhe bogeyman who lived in the alleyway at the back of Grandmas! Mr. Ball's corner shop where he used to give me a garibaldi biscuit from a big tin- you used to buy biscuits individually then. He was such a kind chap
Reading your memories John- did you really run away from home??? that must have been a brave thing to do and thank goodness you have been OK. I am 60 this year so maybe we were in the same class?? I have such happy memories of my short time in St Helens allbeit some very bizare ones!

By Kathryn Brady on Wed Jan 4th 2017, at 10:41 am

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